Input-coded shaft positioning control system



Dec. 22, 1959 J. GOETZ 2,918,615

INPUT-CODED SHAFT POSITIONING CONTROL SYSTEM Filed May 26, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 9 1 E? 27 3 T I 654 SECOND FIRST DIGIT' a4sao'oa46eo l WXIW I. QQ..3 357919135791 CONTROL BOX REMOTE THIRD SECON 0 FIRST SEEKING SEEKING SEEKING SWITCH swrrcH SWITCH ou-rpu-r J? SHAFT *1 =1 ,6 1 =1 10 (mvneoue; p, OIFF. 1 TO 1 HEY/CE T10 INVENTOR. I JOHN L. GoETz A TTORNEyS Dec. 22, 1959 J. L. GOETZ 2,918,615

INPUT-CODED SHAFT POSITIONING CONTROL SYSTEM Filed May 26, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eff 4 I 33 2 u .1 .1 J .J K 5 444 \1 \r l? I:

; 1' a! G) l o DIGIT svs-rzms :CONTROL- BOX RE MOTE BOX 55 g omvmc: 95 AND LOCKING H MEANS T0 OUTPUT IO INVENTOR. 1 JOHN L. GoETz ATTORNEyS Dec. 22, 1959 J. L. GOETZ 2,918,615

INPUT-CODED SHAFT POSITIONING CONTROL SYSTEM Fild May 26. 1958 a Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR. JOHN L. @0571? United States Patent INPUT-CODED SHAFT POSITIONING CONTROL SYSTEM John L. Goetz, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, assignor to Collins Radio Company, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application May 26, 1958, Serial No. 737,840 6 Claims. (Cl. 318-467) This invention relates to simplified memory-coding for a seeking switch system of the wire-saving type.

Memory-preset seeking-switch systems, when arranged on a decade basis, are particularly useful in controlling a large number of remote situations. Such systems, for example, provide means for accomplishing frequency selection among remotely-controlled crystals. Radio receivers and transmitters using crystal-saving schemes generally are required to use a decade system of outputfrequency selection in order to have an orderly and familiar type of frequency selection.

A prior seeking switch system which permits a simplified memory coding in conjunction with a wire-saving scheme is given by Patent No. 2,800,618 issued July 23, 1957, to John P. Giacoletto, John L. Goetz, and Arthur H. Wulfsberg, and is assigned to Collins Radio Company.

A prior type of permanent memory used with seeking switch systems is a memory-drum having plural rows of pins which can be preset to any of various positions in their respective rows. A given setting of pins remembers a particular output condition for the system, since a given setting will always actuate a set of control switches in the same manner. The coding required to preset the pins for a particular output condition of a seeking-switch system is dependent on the type system used. However, a certain amount of flexibility in coding remains within a specific system. Many types of systems are incapable of being coded in a decade manner.

A difiiculty with most prior systems was that the coding relationship was too complex for usability without reference to an instruction book. Thus, the resetting operation was slow and tedious. Where the instruction book was not available, resetting could not be done. The above-cited patent permitted elimination of the instruction book by providing a coding system directly inscribable in a small space on the control panel of radio equipment. The present invention provides another type of coding system, which is as simple as that found in the above-cited patent but has other unique advantages which make it more desirable than the prior system.

The distinct advantages of this invention over prior systems, including the system of the above-cited patent, maybe stated by the following objects of this invention. Accordingly, objects of this invention are to provide:

(1) Fewer connecting wires between control and controlled units in a decade memory-codable system;

(2) A simplified wire-saving seeking-switch structure, wherein only one side of a rotary switch need be used per seeking switch;

(3) Presetting of channels on a memory drum by means of a simple code that is useable without an instruction book;

(4) A system permitting decay-memory coding;

(5) Compatibility with over-all decade-memory coding of the combined output of a number of seeking-switch systems, wherein each system represents a decade digit in a number representing an orderly arrangement of output conditions of the system;

(6) A substantially smaller memory device than allowed by prior systems for the same memory capacity;

(7) A decrease in memory-drum size of about 30 percent over the memory drum in the above-cited patent and a decrease in the number of comparative connecting wires.

The wire-saving feature of the invention is made evident by the following expression, which relates the number (K) of connecting wires joining local and remote 1ocations to the maximum number (N) of output conditions of its seeking-switch:

A memory drum used with the invention is capable of having one longitudinal slot-per-decade-element, withthe slot having two pins per digit in a length of five pinsettings. A special indicating number-code of the basic decade digits is directly provided on a name plate aligning with a row of pins to be preset. The two pins are directly settable from the name plate to remember any one of the ten seeking-switch positions. The pins on the drum close two of five normally-open contacts of a control switch to select the preset output digital condition.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent to a person skilled in the art upon further study of the specification and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a system containing the invention;

Figure 2 is a detailed portion of the system given in Figure 1;

Figures 3a and 3b are diagrammatic analyzations of the coding in the system;

Figure 4 represents a memory drum which may be used with the invention; and

Figure 5 is an end view of the drum and switches of Figure 4.

Now referring to the invention in more detail, the illustrative embodiment of Figure l is now considered. It provides three ten-position seeking-switch systems into an over-all combined system that obtains one-thousand different output conditions. These are represented by one-thousand different incremental settings within a single revolution for an output shaft 10.

The resultant output of shaft 10 is obtained by combining the settings of three shafts 11, 12 and 13, each being controlled by a respective seeking switch having ten equal incremental settings over the course of a single revolution. Two differential-gear transmissions 23 and 22 couple shaft 10 to shafts 11, 12 and 13. Each differential transmission has one input with a one-to-one coupling to the output and has another input with a ten-to-one reduction coupling.

Shaft 10 is the output shaft of differential 23, and shaft 13 is its input having a one-to-one coupling. Thus, ten equal settings of output shaft 10 are directly provided by shaft 13 to obtain ten output increments.

The ten settings of shaft 12 are provided through the one-to-one input coupling of differential 22. However, its output shaft 16 is coupled through the ten-to-one reduction input of differential 23. Therefore, shaft 12 provides ten positions within each of the ten output in- 3 11 contributes one-thousand finely-spaced positions to output shaft 10. Consequently, output shaft 10 has available to it one-thousand different settings (condi tions) that are controllable by a decade-number system relating the settings of shafts 11, 12, and 13.

As a result, any one of the one-thousand settings of output shaft 10 has an orderly relationship to the settings of shafts 11, 12 and 13, which are respectively controlled by calibrated knobs 31, 32 and 33. When the settings of the knobs are treated as representing digits in a decade number, that number can vary from to 999; and these numbers represent consecutive settings of output shaft 10. The calibration is printed on a control panel 39 on the front of box 30.

Consequently, each of the knobs 31, 32 and 33 selects a. different order decade digit at a control box 30. Thus, the 392nd position is shown, wherein knob 33 points to 3, knob 32 to 9, and knob 31 to 2.

It is obvious from the above-cited Patent No. 2,800,618 that instead of combining shafts 11, 12 and 13 in the illustrated manner, they can be combined according to a crystal-saving scheme to obtain one-thousand different output frequencies. Thus, the output frequency-selection system of Patent No. 2,800,618 is incorporated herein by reference.

Furthermore, output shaft 10, for example, may be connected to a variable inductor or capacitor to tune one-thousand different frequencies, which could be decade related.

Three separate manual movements are required to set the output position of shaft by means of the three knobs 31-33.

However, a channel-control knob 34 is connected to a memory drum inside of control box 30. Manual movement of the single knob 34 can select any of the output shaft positions preset on the control drum, which may be selected from the one-thousand available positions, or frequencies. Thus, only one-third the time is needed to select an output position using drum knob 34 than when using the three knobs 31, 32 and 33.

A memory drum is illustrated in Figure 4, which is operated by knob 34 and coupled thereto by a shaft 33. Control panel 39 in Figure 1 has a slot 41 through which a single longitudinal row of drum pins is viewed. Also, an additional slotted window 42 is provided, through which is seen the channel number corresponding to the row of pins being viewed. The pins in each row can be positioned to store any one of the one-thousand different output conditions of the embodiment. From Figure 4, it is noted that any single longitudinal row of pins is divided into three pairs in three component-longitudinal slots, each pair providing one decade digit of a three digit number representing a setting of output shaft- 10. That is, each pair is slideable within its drum slot to any one of ten combinations to represent any one of the digits 0 through 9. The digital code for each pair of pins is shown in Figure 1 on control panel 39. The code merely requires placing the two pins adjacent to the heads of a pair of arrows pointing from the desired digit.

The code indication for the even digits shown above the slot requires that the pair of pins always be in adjacent positions. The two end positions for a pair are considered adjacent. The code indication for the odd digits shown below the slot require that the pair of pins be in skip-adjacent positions. Skip-adjacent herein means that the pair are separated by a single position. Thus, the first digit is 2 because its pair of pins are positioned by arrows emanating from digit 2. The second digit is 9 since its pair of pins are positioned by the pair of arrows emanating from digit 9. Likewise, the third digit is 3 because it is adjacent to the pair of arrows emanating from digit 3.

The setting of knob 34 in Figure 1 is indicated by pointer 35 fixed to panel 39. Knob 34 is shown 81 bing set to channel 11, because row 11 on the drum (displaced from row 8) is engaging control contacts 43 of the system. Control contacts 43 are shown in Figures 4 and 5, and are comprised of a plurality of springsupported contacts (on leaf-switches 44) that are normally open. They are respectively closed by being forced together when engaged by a drum pin 46.

Thus, the longitudinal rows of pins corresponding to the twelve channel numbers 1 to 12 are respectively preset to any twelve of the one-thousand available output conditions or shaft positions. Thereafter, any of the twelve preset output conditions can be selected by turning knob 34 to the required one of its twelve positions. The twelve positions are illustrative, and any number of preset channels can be provided by having a like number of longitudinal rows of pins on a memory drum.

Figure 2 illustrates a detailed schematic of the seekingswitch system for the third digit of Figure 1. The seeking-switch systems of the other two digits are presumed identical to that of the illustrated schematic. Thus, the third digit utilizes connecting wires 51 through 55, second digit wires 56 through 60, and the first digit wires 61 through 65 between the control box 30 and the remote box 37. Hence, in Figure 2, only those portions of the control and remote boxes are shown which are utilized with the third digit.

Furthermore, a selector switch 71, having knob 72, is provided which selects the type of control to be used; that is whether the control is by (D) drum knob 34 or by (M) multiple knobs 31-33. Hence, switch 71 has the two corresponding positions D and M. Operation of switch 71 connects seeking switch 76 to either the drums leaf switches 44 or to the rotary switch 73, controlled by third knob 33. Hence, selector switch 71 includes a component five-pole double-throw switch for the third digit; and it has respective poles connected to control wires 51 through 55.

Seeking switch 76 uses a single side of a wafer switch having five equally-spaced stator contacts 91 through that respectively connect to the ends of wires 51 through 55. The rotor of seeking switch 76 is symmetrically made by having two large equal notches 77 and 78, which interrupt rotor engagement with the stator contacts 9195. Two portions 81 and 82 of the rotor can engage stator contacts 91-95. Portion 81 has a singlecontact width and is non-shorting. The symmetricallyplaced opposite contacting portion 82 has a width. The rotor of control switch 73 is the inverse of the seeking-switch rotor.

An additional stator contact 83 is provided which continuously maintains electrical contact with seekingswitch rotor 76. Contact 83 is connected by lead 35 to a driving and locking means 36 of the same type as described in Figure l of the above-cited patent. Shaft 13 of Figure l is shown schematically in Figure 2 as being fixed to seeking-switch rotor 76. The ten positions for shaft 13 are illustrated in Figure 2 by a dial 86.

Since the seeking-switch systems for the first and second digits are each identical to that of the third digit shown in Figure 2, they need not be given in separate detail. Knob 72 is linked to separate switches 71 provided with the sets of control wires for the other digits.

The seeking-switch system of the invention need not be decade, although that is the most desirable form. Hence, a single seeking switch utilizing the invention can be made to provide more or less than ten output positions. The general relationship between the number of output positions and the control wires is given by Expression 1 above. The general coding sequence of the invention can be obtained geometrically by using a polygon having its number of vertexes equal to the number of positions available to a pair of pins. Such a polygon is shown in Figure 3a, wherein its five outer corners represent the five positions available to the pair of pins in a decade unit. A set of chords is drawn within the polygon providing all the possible triangles having two sides on the polygon. In the coding sequence, one may start from any corner, such as A, and trace about each triangle in a single direction throughout, such as counterclockwise. For example, starting at position A one goes to corner E, then to B, to A, to C, to B, to D, to C, to E, to D, and back to A. Each line transcribed in this manner is given a number in the order encountered. The numbers correspond to the digits represented by the system; and the pair of letters designated at the ends of any line indicate the positions of the pair of pins to obtain the corresponding digit. Figure 31) illustrates the coding of Figure 3a applied to a panel adjacent to a pair of pins. In Figure 312, note the five pin positions A through E. Then, it is seen that the arrows emanating from the numbers point to the lettered pin positions, which correspond to the letters at the ends of the lines having the same numbers in the polygon.

Consequently, the polygon need not have five sides, but may have three, four, or greater than five sides. As long as the above-described system for numbering the sides is provided, a relationship is obtained providing digital coding for a corresponding embodiment of the invention.

Rotary wafer-switches having more than the required number of stator contacts may be used. Where an integer multiple of the minimum number of stator contacts is used, equal stator contact spacing may likewise be used to the same result, because rotor symmetry is still obtained. For example, in the seeking-switch of Figure 2 a ten-contact wafer switch could be used by skipping every other contact. The basic'teachings of this invention nevertheless apply. However, where a non-integral number of stator contacts are used, additional and rotationallycorresponding rotor gaps must be provided. For example, if a wafer switch having seven rotor contacts Were used in the decade schematic of Figure 2, unequal rotor spacing is essential. The rotor must then be made correspondingly unsymmetrical by providing additional gaps in it that rotationally correspond to the positions of the additional contacts of the stator.

Although this invention has been described with respect to a particular embodiment thereof, it is not to be so limited as changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shaft-positioning system presettahle to ten ordered-output positions calibrated with decade digits, comprising a control-switch having five normally-open contacts, presettahle means for closing any two of said contacts, calibration means for indicating the required settings of said presettahle means, said calibration means indicating the closing of adjacent switches to obtain even digit output positions, said calibration means indicating the closing of contacts separated by a single open contact to obtain odd decade output positions, the end positioned ones of said contacts being considered adjacent, a seeking-switch having a rotor and a stator with at least five contacts, means for connecting said stator contacts respectively to said contacts, and driving means connected to said rotor for driving said seeking-switch to an opencircuit condition for said system.

2. A decade-calibratable shaft-positioning system, comprising control-switching means, including a plurality of single-pole single-throw switches; seeking-switch means including a rotor and a stator having a plurality of stator contacts; a plurality of conducting means respectively connecting said stator contacts to said switches, driving means connected to said rotor for rotating said rotor to an open-circuit condition for said system, said switches being normally-open and being closed only in pairs by said control-switching means, each different adjacent and skip-adjacent pairing of said switch closings providing a differently calibrated digit, and the number of said connecting means being related to the maximum number N of digits representing discrete output-shaft positions being where N is the maximum number of digits representing discrete ouput-shaft positions, K is the number of conducting means, and X is a symbol representing the general variable.

3. A decade-presettahle shaft-positioning system comprising a control drum having a plurality of longitudinal rows, with each row having a plurality of sections, and at least one of said row-sections including a pair of projections, each projection projecting from one of five positions in said one row-section, five normally-open contacts engageable by said projections, any of said control contacts closed by engagement with either projection, a seeking switch having a rotor and a stator with at least five contacts, means for connecting said stator contacts respectively to said control contacts, and driving means connected to said rotor for driving said seeking switch to an open circuit condition for said system.

4. A decade-presettahle shaft positioning system as defined in claim 3 in which its output shaft positions are decade calibrated, said pair of pins in said one rowsection being calibrated in the following positioning sequences: adjacently positioned projections provide evendigit positions, projections separated by a single-intermediate space being calibrated with odd-digit positions, the opposite end positions for said projections in said rowsection being considered adjacent.

5. A decade presettahle shaft positioning system as defined in claim 3 in which said rotor is formed with two contacting projections, one projection having about of width, and the other projection being a nonshorting type of contact, said rotor being symmetrical about a line passing through both of said projections, and said stator contacts being symmetrically located.

6. A shaft positioning system as defined in claim 4 having alternate control means, at least one rotary-control switch being provided with said one seeking switch system, said rotary control switch having a stator and rotor. with said control rotor being the inverse of said seekingswitch rotor, and said stator having a plurality of contacts respectively connectable to the stator contacts of said seeking switch, and switching means for disconnecting said control contacts and connecting said rotary control switch to said seeking switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,800,618 Giacolletto et a1. July 23, 1957 

